Person Inspiration

Many people inspire me and make a difference in my life. But, my grandmother, or Nani as we say it in Hindi, has the most inspiring story. She overcame many adversities and because of her strength and determination became a new woman. She was diagnosed with stage 2 Breast Cancer in 2000 and tried to take as many herbalistic approaches in this process. She had a long battle with cancer and I am proud to say that she is a 12 year cancer survivor. Prior to her cancer, she was very depressed (because my grandfather was always traveling for business), not in great shape, and soft-spoken. Nowadays, she is the polar opposite, she thrives on working out and does so everyday, she is not afraid to say anything whether it is that our outfit is just not suiting us or to tell my grandfather to get up and make his own food, and she is always euphoric and always a joy to be around.

This is a photo of my beautiful grandmother that I took when we went to the beach over the summer. She is all dolled up and ready for dinner.

Over the summer, I went to the gym with my grandmother. This is a photo of Nani with one of the trainer at the gym. 'She works out'

This photo was taken on Christmas Day at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The love between my grandparents is truly heart-warming. Their 47th anniversary just passed and they continue to share many caring moments. After the experiences that my grandmother encountered, they realized that they need to savor every moment because they never know what will happen. My grandfather always says "Carpe Diem" or suck the marrow out of life, which nowadays can be translated as YOLO. My grandparents are avid travelers and remain to stay active in the community.

Although this picture is dark, it clearly exhibits hard work. My grandmother has weights attached to her feet and stays in this position for several minutes.

This is a photo of this frame that lies in the entrances of the gym. They are so proud of my Nani who runs faster and works harder than many young adult members of the gym. The quote "Passion is a force that cannot be stopped" is located above her picture. This quote sums it all up; passion and determination can not be stopped. My grandmother is the epitome of overcoming adversities and becoming stronger. The immediate impact of her cancer was unfortunate, but in the long run, this experience made her a mentally and physically stronger person. She mentors family, friends, and community members who are facing similar struggles that she had experienced. My Nani is my hero and her presence and positive energy have made a huge impact on my life <3